Vajrakavach

Author(s): Dharnendrasagar
Publisher: Jain Sahitya Prakashan Mandir

Page 40

Our attention remain fixed on one thing upto an antarmuhurta or almost an hour but not more. Non-violence
India, being a highly spiritual country, has always been dominated by the lofty of non-violence. It is only during the modern times when science has shaken the faith of people in the soul and the religion and materialism has overtaken our religious lives. The universe has two basic elements; living and non-living. Non-living element is again two folds: formed and not formed. The formed non-living element is called pudgal in Jain terminology. This pudgal has colour, smell, taste, touch etc. Lord Mahavira who was omniscient, has pointed out six varieties of Pudgal or matter.
A true Jain observes twelve vows. The first eight of these vows are in the form of rejection and the next four are in the form of practice. The vow of non-violence prevents from killing creatures through oversight. This vow is unmatched by other vows. Both the monks and the laymen undertake this vow.
Violence is of four kinds: born of thought; born of activities; born of industry and born of resistance. A house-holder is required to observe nonviolence in his thought, he may not observe it in his behavior or activity, these being necessary for the maintenance of his house. However, a Jain layman should avoid violence of all the four types mentioned above at all
cost.
38